Musical comb construction



March 31, 1959 v P. GANINE 2,879,684v

MUSICAL. COMB CONSTRUCTION Filed May 18, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet l PE' TER GAN/NE,

IN VEN TOR.

HUEBNER, BEEHLER woRREL a HERZ/Gi ATTORNEYS.

March 31, 1959 P, GANlNE I 2,879,684

MUSICAL COMB CONSTRUCTION Filed Myls, 1956 5 sheets-sheet 2 MACC@ Q |@39 [46 'a 59@ 46 o 251-@ j PETER GAN/NE',

IN V EN TOR.

HUE BNER. BEEHLER,

www

P. GANINE MUSICAL COMB CONSTRUCTION March 3l, 1959 Filed May 18, 1956 INVENTOR.

PETER GAN/NE,

HUEBNER,8EEHLER, WORREL HERZ/6, By A TTORNEYS.

vwithout unduly sacrificing accuracy of tone.

United States Patent() MUSICAL COMB CONSTRUCTION Peter Ganine, Los Angeles, Calif. Application May 18, 1956,'Serial No. 585,826

4 Claims. (Cl. 84-94) This invention relates to a new and improved musical comb and a new and improved method of making the Same.

-rial No. 393,694, filed November 23, 1953, and Serial .'No. 470,219, filed November 22, 1954, now Patent No.

2,838,834 of which the instant application is a continuation in part.

Music boxes known to the prior art have employed wires, reeds, ilat or round, and other vibrating fingers .having a free end and a secured end normally clamped or cast into a base itself comprising or in turn secured to a sounding board. Occasionally, the vibrating iingers or reeds were formed from a sheet metal section `by die stamping, cutting, or trimming and filing the individual reeds by hand to achieve true desired tones.

yHand trimming and filing are employed particularly in the production of the well-known Swiss musical tones designed for incorporation into Swiss music boxes commercially available throughout the world. Y

The Swiss musical combs are commercially acceptable in tonal quality but they have recently been unable to compete from a cost standpoint with the mass-produced `combs of American manufacture which though they imv prove upon other prior art devices suffer from a somewhat inferior tonal quality relative to the Swiss music combs. The most popular current American product employs piano wires instead of the relatively flattened reed- A.like forms exemplified by the Swiss type comb.

It has long been thought that the sheet formed combs generally analogous to the Swiss type combs and made from a sheet of springy material would have a wide market and satisfy a long felt need if they could be produced by satisfactory economical mass production methods Conseyquently, numerous efforts have been and are being made in the United States and elsewhere to achieve a musical comb construction of commercially acceptable tone quality by means of economical and accurate mass production methods. Thus far, however, no successful die stamped sheet metal or other mass produced comb has vbeen developed which is capable of matching the hand tuned qualities of the Swiss musical combs.

More specifically, mass production has failed to achieve la sufficiently accurate cutting or forming of the vibrating teeth or reeds to give a commercially acceptable tone .and especially has mass production failed to evolve such a comb consistently and repeatedly during production.

v`This has largely been due to the inability to cope with those slight variations and tolerances in the cutting or forming of the teeth which are immediately reflected lin variation and impairment of the desired true tone of the teeth.y

'ice A Considerable difficulty, on the other hand, is cn countered in initially cutting the teeth for a metal stamped comb when the casting operation follows the cutting of the teeth. Die costs are high, and since the mating die surfaces are critical, undesirable flash forms at the parting line of the die and around the teeth of the comb. Also, material tolerances, alone or when combined with necessary die tolerances, are an invitation to variations, flash and other difiiculties which impair the resultant desired purity and uniformity of tone.

While it is advantageous to cut the pluckable teeth from untempered stock when such teeth are formed from steel, any tempering by heat following the cutting of the teeth deforms or alters the shape or structure of the teeth in a manner to change the resulting tone in undesirable and unpredictable ways. By the instant invention the teeth are advantageously slot-formed from untempered stock, then tempered while in a continuous ribbon so as to minimize tooth warpage, and thereafter the teeth are cut to proper length or tone.

In view of the above considerations, among others, it is an object of this invention to provide an economical and acceptably accurate new and improved comb and method for manufacturing the same on a commercial mass production basis which will as closelyl as possible approximate the accuracy and quality of hand tuned musical combs now commercially available but at appreciably higher manufacturing cost and consumer prices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved die formed musical comb of the desired character described wherein the various teeth will render substantially true reproduceable tones or sequences of notes in a pre-selected musical scale or portion thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a new and improved musical comb in which `the individual teeth will vibrate without interference with or from the oscillation of adjacent teeth. Yet another object of the invention is the provision of such a new and improved musical comb of relatively low cost and high quality which lends itself to mass production by means of the new and improved methods herein disclosed.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved continuous method for the efficient and effective manufacture of musical combs of the de sired character described.

Another further object of this invention is the provision of appropriate commercial procedures and methods for casting a base integrally with a sheet of resil. ient comb stock and cutting the teeth of a musical comb from such comb stock with such accuracy and efficiency as to permit the satisfaction of a long felt want therefor.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved musical comb and method of making the same to such an excellent standard of tonal quality as will compare favorably with prior art hand tuned devices of analogous character.

It is moreover among the objects of this invention to provide a new and improved means and method for achieving the herein stated objects and to provide improvements over prior art devices and methods heretofore intended to accomplish generally similar purposes.

Other objects and purposes will become apparent from the following description considered in the light of the accompanying drawings wherein like parts are illustrated by like reference numerals.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of music box incorporating a comb embodying this invention and made by the method of this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of said music box of Figure 1.

`Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side elevational view showling an apparatus for the continuous production of musical combs of this invention from a roll of sheet comb stock. c

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken longitudinally vthrough two cutting dies showing punching knives 'after having cut slots through sheet stock to cut teeth therein. n Figure 5 is a sectional View taken as on a line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a similar sectional view taken as -on a "line 6 6 of Figure 4.

,Figure 7 is a partial plan view showing a portion of sheet stock after it has been punched and slotted.

Figure 8 is `a plan view of the .interior of a mold, one- Y'half being removed showing the same as it would appear -on the parting line thereof.

lFigure 9 is a perspective view showing a cut-off provduced in an advanced stage -of the method of this 1n- .vention Figure 10 is a perspective view showing a completed .comb embodying the invention.

Figure 1l is a fragmentary detail plan view of the comb of Figure 10.

.Figure l2 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the comb of Figure 10.

Referring more particularly to the drawing which set l.forth by way of illustration but not limitation a comb and method of making the same embodying this inven-V ition, I first describe generally a music box environment yfor kthe comb of this invention in order to indicate an voperative. environment therefor.

In said drawings a comb 10 comprises a cast base 11 is operatively mounted as on the bottom 12 of a frame defining a music box housing. Such securement of the comb .may be as .by means of a bracket 13 ror the like secured as by rivets or integrally cast as a unit with the ibase .11 of the comb which infturn is firmly or integrally correspondingly aixed to the bottom 12.

YLikewise supported on the bottom 12 4of the music box is a cylindrical drum 14 having external gear teeth 16 .formed around its lower end. The drum 14 is adapted v.for rotation relative to the frame and bottom 14 by a v...pinion 17 keyed to the end of a shaft 18 appropriately journalled in the bottom 12. The shaft 18 includes a suitable crank and handle 19 and 21, respectively. A .wire 22 may be wrapped several times around the shaft 18 and may have a free end forced through an aperture through the bottom `12 and bent on the inside of the bottom to retain the wire in position. The wrapping of the wire 22 about the shaft 18 provides a desired clutchv.ing action to permit free rotation of the shaft 18 in a predetermined direction but to resist counter rotation :.thereof.

Also supported on the bottomV 12 is a cylindrical shell '23 vcomprising 'a portion of the frame .of the .music box.

"Such .shell 23 maybe secured to the bottom 12 as by screws 24. Such lshell 23 serves to journal the cylindri- .cal drum 14 for rotation therein and relative to the bottom 12. Said shell may be of any desired height or may be omitted altogether in accordance with the teachings of my earlier filed cti-pending application above referred to.

In the instant embodiment, however, and xedly held .within the cylindrical drum 14 is a cylindrical band 28 can 'De played in a manner well known to those skilled in this art.

The cylindrical .band 28 is preferably removable from the cylindrical drum 14 so that other band members may be substituted readily and thereby provide for a variety of different tunes to be played upon the same music box and comb.

Having thus described generally an optional form of music box adapted to receive the comb of the instant invention, I will now describe in more detail the comb itself and the methodY of making the same which again by way of illustration and not of limitation comprise the herein described and claimed invention.

The prior art now knows the continuous feeding of wires into a mold `and the forming of a casting around the ends of the wires in the mold followed by the ejection of the casting which draws additional lengths of wire into the mold for successive corresponding molding, cutting and withdrawing steps. I have adopted a continuous method as shown particularly in Figures 3 through 9 for the optional formation of my improved comb. This method comprises providing a long strip or Yribbon of sheet stock 31 and feeding the same through a punch station 32, preferably integral with the cutting dies where casting holes 33 are cut (Figure 7) and where accurate preferably separate locating holes 34 are punched `through the sheet stock in transverse and longitudinal relationship to .one .another along said strip for positively and accurately fixing and holding the ribbon.

The punched portion of sheet stock 31 is fed to 'a slotting station 36 comprising a die made up preferably of two halves such as 37 and 3S, to prevent undue stress on the mat and .which might cause the resultant strips of reed-forming at the die to be distorted by the cutting action. Thus alternate cuts are advantageously made so that intermediate cuts, for example, are skipped on the first die-cutting action and the intervening cuts are made in a second die-cutting action.

Means (not shown) are connected to the die halves 37 and 38 cyclically to open and close the same. When the `die halves are closed they are held in registry by alignment pins 39 of diehalf 37 fitting in holes in die half 38, and also and particularly by some of the locating pins-40 cutting and tting snugly in guide holes 34 of sheet stock 31 and also snugly ,fitting into corresponding holes in die half 38. Thus the sheet stock is held in definite fixed relationship with the die halves while the die halves are held closed in accurate registry with each other.

In this closed position of the die halves, knife guide y slots 41, formed in parallel relationship in the die .half

37, are in precise alignment with corresponding knife guide slots 42 in die half 38. A plurality of preferably alternate knife punches 43, mounted as in a movable die holder 44, for slidable, carefully guided reciprocal movement within the die guide slots 41 and 42 are forced downwardly through an oriented section of sheet stock 31 to form parallel spaced slots 46 (Figures 6 and 7). The `slots 46 are spaced in predetermined relationship to accommodate for example, a second set of other parallel spaced slotsI 47 in alternating relationship with slots 46.

AThis Amultiple stage cutting operation takes place while lthe dies are firmly closed, and all parts between the die halves are securely held. Thus lateral displacement of the slot-formed stock is minimized.

In this connection, it is of particular importance to lnote that the respective knives 43 have dat bottom edges Vand that the knives iit accurately within the slots 41 and 42 lof the respective 'die halves. It is also important to note that the section of sheet stock 31 as a whole is firmly held between the die halves and against an edgeengaging shoulder 50 so as to resist any tendency to cause the ,sameto shift.

Said bottom edge 51 of the respective knives 43 :is slanted as shown most clearly in Figure 4. Thus, one edge 52 ofthe knives lis sharp Vand constitutes a leading edge. It is important to note, as seen most clearly `in Figure 5, that the sheet stock section 31 is firmly supported as stated on-spaced yshoulders 53 land 54 on the respective die halves 37 and 38 and these can "be findividually spring loaded at their stock-engaging ends to compensate for any surface irregularities of the stock. When the knives 43 descend their rst point of contact is with the sheet stock 31 immediately adjacent, and preferably in touching relationship to a sinuous or stepped inner confronting edge 52 (Figure 7) of the section of sheet stock 31. As the knives continue their descent they shear and cut the grooves 46 simultaneously but in a direction away from the edge 52. The essential support of the blank against the cutting thrust of the knives 43 is upon the shoulders 54 which in spaced relationship along the face of the die half 38 provide, with respect to each slot 46 cut in the blank, parallel opposed shoulders, rmly and accurately locating the knives and sustaining their thrust.

Thus as the blank is cut to form the slots 46, the sheet of metal comprising the same is supported with respect to each knife 43 along two spaced parallel shoulders 65. There is no opposing pressure against the knife thrusts except along lines parallel to the proposed slots 46 which are cut progressively from one end. Since these are cut and started at their bases and since their longitudinal shear is along parallel lines, starting from the bases of the proposed teeth exceeding accuracy is obtainable in defining the desired pre-determined widths of the respective teeth of the finished comb. The combined action of` the progressive cutting from-. the bases of the teeth, the accurate and firm securement of the locating pins, and the continuous nature of the ribbon held firmly at spaced stations and along its edge on atI least one side by the shoulder 50 on the die tendsto promote utmost accuracy of dimensions between successive combs and between successive teeth of the same comb. j

As is known in this art, the last shortest reedk 55 (Figure is not a working reed and may therefore be truncated. The guide shoulder 50 on the die is therefore placed along the edge of the stock 31 corresponding to the longest outer tooth 55. Thereby suchlongest outer tooth 55 will be accurately guided against the die shoulder 50 while variations in width of the ribbon 31 due to manufacturing tolerances will be incorporated in the last short tooth 55 or cut off as a part of a final slot (not shown) without affecting the desired resultant and accurately cut working teeth remaining.

After the slots 46 have been cut in the sheet stock section, the knife punches 43 are again moved upwardly and die halves 37 and 38 are opened as at the beginning of the cycle and slots 47 of predetermined width and orientation depending on the intended design and tune of the comb, are cut between each pair of slots 46.

As stated, all of the slots 46 and 47 can be cut in a single slotting stage or in three, or more stages, at the same slotting station by means of alternate knives or at longitudinally spaced stations, if desired. The number of stages employed will depend upon such factors as the nature, thickness and composition of the sheet stock material, the eliiciency of the knife punches 43 and the like considerations.

In view of the stated desirability of supporting and shearing along laterally spaced parallel shoulders 54, it is possible to form the comb species of my co-pending applications above referred to with great accuracy by the instant method. It is also possible and with what I believe to be greater individual tonal fidelity without blending of the vibrations of adjacent reeds to form a musical comb in the manner described above when the inner ends of the slots forms a striplike or sinuous outline whose configuration govern the length of the reeds and their respective pitch.

After all of the slots 46 and 47 have been cut into the sheet stock section and before cutting off the respective combs, the stock where a suitable temper, designed to produce the desired degree of resilience and tonal quality of the sheet stock material.

inthe final comb is produced in the slotted sheet stock section. The design and conditions of operation of tempering station 51 will depend upon the composition High carbon steel is preferred for the sheet stock material but other suitable spring materials such as beryllium copper may also be used. In any event, the tempering operation willV be continuously carried out in station 51 by the employment of any appropriate known heating and/or cooling operations.

A properly tempered, slotted ribbon portion in question then is moved to a casting station 53 where itis fed into a mold. The two sides 54 and 56 of the mold are closed against one another as guided on guide rods 57. After closing the mold, die casting metal is forced under pressure around the unslotted portion of the sheet metal stock section into the casting holes 33 and into an accurately formed molding cavity to form the base of the musical comb and a confronting adjacent toothforming stepped or sinuous confronting edge stock portion, or base portion. The casting is so carried out and `the casting die halves 54, 56 are so formed that anarrow ledge 57 is formed between the casting 58 and the confronting inner ends of the slots 46, 47. Such displacement of the casting outwardly and laterally of the ribbon formed comb section and the consequent formation of said ledge 57' prevents the occurrence of ash from the casting which would interfere with the tone of the comb or its respective teeth. If the width of the ledge 57' is kept at a practical minimum, say of the-order of 1,444", the tone of the comb is not impaired and the vibration of one tooth will not affect the others. Thereby also the accuracy of the slotting operation is unimpaired bythe usually less accurate casting operation, when required.

Ejection of the casting optionally in the direction of the arrow in Figure 8 against the knife 59, for example, as a cut-off stop in a subsequent stage of the comb forming operation will in the use of the instant continuous method be accompanied by the shifting of the entire sheet stock 31 in said direction of the arrow to bring a fresh portion of the ribbon corresponding to another comb blank into the mold.

When desired, the cast base 58 is also made to surround and cover the edge of sheet stock 31 cut by the knife 59, by casting the base 58 thereover following the cutting operation at the knife 59.

The casting 58 forming the base is now firmly secured on the slotted and tempered sheet stock section and such securement is enhanced by the provision of the casting holes 33 or other openings cut into the sheet stock 31 prior to the molding operation, as described above, through which holes the die cast body is continuous from side to side of the comb blank thus formed. Now the sheet stock 31 is cut as by means of said knife 59 to sever a comb cut-olf 61 as at the casting (Figure 9). The cutting operation accomplished by the knife 59 may be made in connection with the mold 53 but the cutting of the teeth to produce the finished comb 10 from the cutolf 61, when necessary for greater accuracy comprises a separate accurate cutting operation accomplished on a separate accurate cutting and tuning die or by reference to and with the end of the guide holes 34 at said knife 59.

It is preferable in the practice of the instant invention to form a stepped base wherein the individual reeds enter or emerge from the cast base at individual stepped parallel planes in the casting normal to the axis of the respective reeds.

The form of comb of Figure l2 embodies such a stepped construction. In said Figure 12 the cast base is designated by the numeral 62; the individual teeth by the numeral 63; the holes in the blank by 64; and the perpendicular steps normal to the respective reeds by the numeral 66. In the form of comb shown in Figure l2 the side edges there shown of the reeds 63 at the casting lie in planes spaced tightly vfrom 'but parallel -to `the side edges vvquality for 4forming castings in commercial -practice 'has been used to advantage, particularly with sheets of high .carbon steel and of beryllium copper.

This invention features the provision -of a new and vim- .fproved die cast stamped melody comb having a metal ,bOdy, preferably sheet metal, molded integrally with ra vcastable base preferably of zinc alloy, `thereby combining 1.the best features of maximum surface displacement of air and .form of the Swiss musical combs `with desirable -mass production vmethods of the character disclosed and claimed to fulll the purposes of the objects 'herein stated.

While I .have herein shown and described -the invention iin what I have conceived to be the .most vpractical and vpreferred embodiment, it is :recognized that departures can .be made therefrom within the scope of l.my invention, `which is not to be limited to the detailsdisclosed herein, tbutis to be accorded the full scope of the claimsso'as 'to `embrace any and all equivalent structure.

'-Having describedmyinvention, `whatl claim as new and tdesirettosecure by Letters Patentis:

1. A musical comb comprised of ascombelement and Yabase' element, said base element having an inclined edge rand an edge opposite said inclined edge, Athe comb element being centrally embedded in the base element to -be :integral therewith and 'to extend outwardly .therefrom centrally from said inclined edge thereof, said edge `being at an angle tothe opposite edge of the said base, said `inclined edge being provided with a plurality of step sections corresponding in number to the number of teeth in `the comb element and said comb yelement consisting of a sheet metal base 4having a plurality of parallel spaced -`teethon one end thereof, each of a determined ywidth and having a Igraduated varying length from one side edge of the comb element to the other but with the outer ends of -the Vteeth lying in the same plane substantially parallel to the vouter edge of the comb base, vand with the inner ends of the comb teeth lying in a plane angularly disposed to said outer `edge of the comb base, the sheet metal base `part of said comb element being embedded within the said base element to within a short distance of the inner ends of said comb teeth.

2. The musical comb ofclaim -l, said sheet metal base with its comb teeth being comprised of a hardened and tempered steel alloy.

3. The musical comb of claim `l, said base element being comprised of a cast metal composition.

4. The musical comb of claim 1, said sheet metal base of said comb element 'having a plurality of openings 'therethrough and through which extend the `said base element.

References Cited inthe tile of this patent UNITED ,STATES PATENTS 246,570 `Stewart Aug. 30, 11881 2,504,632 lBlair Apr. 18, `1950 2,504,666 Duncan Apr. `18, 11950 2,529,348 Mustee Nov. 7, V1950 2,647,427 Duncan Aug. 4, `1953 2,649,652 Duncan Aug. 25, V1953 2,787,927 Roehrl Apr. 9, 1957 

